'Tis a gift to be simple: 8 suggestions for simplifying your life

Vibrant Life, July-August, 2002 by Victor M. Parachin

Get Rid of Clutter

"People tend to underestimate how much clutter contributes to their stress," says Jann Jasper, a professional organizing consultant in Jersey City, New Jersey. Today her job is to help others make their homes more simple and serene. However, only a few years ago she was a veteran buyer of flea market treasures. Jasper accumulated so many possessions that eventually she had no place to display or store them. Unwilling to part with them, she piled them--still in boxes--in her living room, with just enough space between them for a path. "It felt lousy to live that way. Just looking around at all my stuff made me feel stressed," she recalls. So she got rid of the clutter, and the pleasure of being in her home returned.

Keep the Car You Own

"Cars are the largest expense over a family's lifetime," declares Larry Burkett, author of Debt Free Living. He notes that people spend more on cars than they do on a house, because car interest rates are higher than home interest rates, and they are replaced more often. Burkett recommends driving your present vehicle longer rather than trading it in on a newer model. "It's always cheaper to drive the car you already own. It may not be as popular or as much fun, but it's always cheaper to fix that car than to go buy another car."

Vacation on a Shoestring

Whether your vacation is a week or a weekend, that vacation does not need to be a budget-buster. With some careful planning and a little creativity you can enjoy a memorable vacation without assuming huge expenses. Kevin and his wife like to vacation at winter destinations in their summer off-season times. "Many ski resorts offer summer activities, but with large discounted lodging prices. We are able to hike and bike through the hills and mountains."

Other ways to cut expenses include: flying at "off-peak" times such as weekends or late nights; riding the rails (often children under age 2 can ride free, and children up to age 15 can get half-price fares when accompanied by an adult); driving to a vacation spot. Using your car is not only the most economical way to travel, but it offers the greatest flexibility and best scenery.

Celebrate Holidays in Thrifty Ways

Don't let a major or minor holiday slip by without thinking about ways to observe it in more thrifty ways. Here is an example from one Pennsylvania family who found a creative way to simplify Christmas. "My husband and our four children have begun to question the commercialism and materialism connected to this time of year," explains Cindy, the mother. "So we came up with the idea of buying one small gift for each person, which is given on Christmas Day. Then we hit the after-Christmas sales and buy gifts at up to 75 percent off. Our family gathers again during the first week of January for a second festive party, when we exchange presents again. This is something we've done for three years now and find we enjoy a more peaceful Christmas by avoiding holiday shopping crowds and cutting down on expenses. The money we save is given to a local charity." The lesson from this family: Look at your holiday celebrations--Hanukkah, Kwanza, Easter, birthday, and wedding celebrations--and think about creative but thrifty ways to celebrate them.